Slide operation, 8-contact stick switch

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5 March 2008 Switches, Relays & Keypads

Alps has developed the SSAF series of multicontrol devices, with slide operation type stick switches (with eight contacts and a centre push function) for small portable devices such as mobile phones and handheld terminals.

In recent years, advances have been made in installing large-format displays in mobile phones, with an increasing number of handsets enabling users to browse Internet sites designed for access from computers. Unlike those for mobile phones, websites designed for browsing from computers contain information with numerous links that are hidden off the displayed screen. To view the whole page users need to press a button several times to move the screen or to select the linked URL. Thus, there has been demand for devices that enable mobile phone users to freely operate a cursor in the same way as a computer mouse, thereby making Internet browsing easier.

The SSAF series are multicontrol devices that combine an eight contact slide operation type switch with a centrally located push-switch function. With proprietary sliding contact construction, which moves the operating part in various directions, the moving contacts will either make or break a circuit with any of the eight contacts, thus determining the direction of movement of the operating part. This enables free movement of the cursor on a mobile phone display.

In addition, input instructions are read as the contacts are switched on and off, so that no special integrated circuit or software is required. With these features, the switches will not only contribute to simplifying the design of set products input structures, but also reduce component design work and costs.

Using existing multidirectional input devices mainly involves tilting the operating part. For the SSAF series, however, Alps has adopted an operating part with a sliding structure and realised a height including operating part of 3 mm. Accordingly, the SSAF Series is compatible with small portable devices such as mobile phones and handheld terminals.

For more information visit www.alps.com

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